Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-04-18
et1outh's column.
Benoni's New Name


father had been laid in his grave, as sh
looked through her tears upon the bah.
face gazing SO unconsciously into hers
she could think CT no name more fittin:
than Benoni-.'son of my sorrow"
But as the years went by, and the littl
italian jew passed from babyland to boy
hood, it seemed as though some sad fore
sight into the future must have prompted
the name given him, for despite her ever.
effort to guide and restrain, Benoni wa:
indeed proving himself veritable son o.
sorrow. 1t is true, the poor boy hat
much to contend with in the fact that the
struggle for daily bread threw him almos
constantly on the street; moreover, IL
the quarter of the city in which he lived
there were few Jews, and those few, es
pecially the boys, found their lot hare
one. Surrounded as he was by SO
called Christian people, strange to say
the only spirit of Christianity with which
little Benoni had ever come in contact,
was that of persecution and tyranny.
So long as the pale, sadfaced mother
stood beside him at the peanut stand
which contributed to their meagre sup
port. even the boldest of his tOrmentors
hesitated seriously to modest him; but
when, as was often the case, sickness or
other necessity compelled her absence,
many were the exasperating taunts heaped
upon him. many the acts of petty vio-
lence and robbery, and frequent the fisti-
| cuff fights when no policeman was near,
in which Benoni generally came of worst
ed, vanquished by the number of his foes
1t is scarcely surprising, then, that
though by no means devout or Jealous in
the religion of his fathers, the boy had
| come TO believe there were but two races
| of people in the world, the ill-treated
| jew and the so-called Christian; and the
latter word expressed for him but one
idea-cruelty, treachery and injustice
combined.
The cold winter had given way to the
mild, rainy days of spring, and Benoni
was busiIy stretching his tarpaulin above
the nut stand one morning, and thinking
regretfully how few pennies would prob
| ably flow in that day, when suddenly
| from behind him a brown, dirty hand was
| thrust in among the savory, fresh roasted
| peanuts, as quickly withdrawn again filled
to its utmost, and the robber darted into
the adjacent alley, with Benoni in hot
pursuit.
\ rude laugh, accompanied by the usu-
| al jeering cries, from newsbOyS and boot
| blacks who witnessed the act, followed
| Benoni. and fired his hot Jewish blood
anew, as he sped onward. But the thief
had gotten full start, and just how the
race would have resulted was left in
| doubt, for just as the first turn in the al
| lev was reached, BenOniS foot slipped on
the wet stones, and down he came with a
stunning fall, his head striking sharply
against the raised curbing, and he lay mo-
tionless, the blood gushing freely from a
cut on his head.
The accident had occurred Immediately
! by a stable door fronting the alley, and
| just at this moment it was opened, to adj
init young boy near BenOni's age, lead
ing pony ready saddled for riding. For
an instant he stood quite still, startled by
the unexpected sight that lay before him,
| but quickly recovering his presence of
mind, he hitched the pony, and fastening
| to the apparent lifeless form, raised the
bleeding head from its stony pillow.
The dark eyes of the little Jew opened
slowly, and gazed with bewilderment into
the kind, bOyish face bending over him ;
then clenching his right hand feebly, and
| trying hard to raise himself, he said
| hOarsely:
You were the fellow that stole my
| peanuts Just wait"
| Archie Winston was so utterly aston
| iShed at this greeting that he very nearly
dropped the poor bruised head again on
| the stones.
Stole your peanuts - he interrupted,
| Indignantly. ''What are you talking
about: l found you here senseless, and
| stopped to lend you hand" But the in
dignation quickly died from Archie's tone
and countenance, seeing the sickening
pallor deepen on Benonis face as the lat
ter tried again to rise, and he added
quickly:
Il say though, hadn't you better let me
! help you inside here, while l get some
water? and without waiting for a reply,
he half supported, half carried the injur-
ed boy within the stable, laid him on a
pile of clean straw, and fastening to the
pump near by, returned with a cup of
| fresh water.
The effect was indeed soothing. Ar
chie's handkerchief served as both sponge
and towel, and the color crept back to
| Benoni'S pale cheek as the CHASTITY blood
was washed away. Still weak and Ian
guild, however, he lay back on the straw
his eyes fixed intently on Archie, till sud
denly, with a tremor in his voice, he ask
ed anxiously:
What be you, anyway? Be you a
Christian"
Archie was so astonished for a moment
that he did not answer just at first, but
then with a boyish laugh and blush he
said, ''Well, l hope so; that's what l
profess to be-"
Then let me get out o. here!' cried
Benoni, struggling to his feet, Il know
| NAllb you lC up NOu IL nave IIIC SOOI
shut in a moment, and be beatin' me black
and blue, and amt equal to a fair fight
now. o. yes, know you Christians"
Again Archie looked at him in dazed
bewilderment. Il believe that fall has
knocked him crazy" he said, at last, hall
aloud, and as he saw the trembling boy
moving toward the door as fast as his un
steady legs would carry him, he hasten
ed forward, and laying his hand gently OF
BenOni's shoulder, said quietly:
You haven't got your senses back yet
don't you know that it is just because
am trying to be Christian that l have
given up my ride this morning, and stop
ped to help you. Now, come with ms
into the house moment, for your heaC
is beginning to bleed again, and mother
will know just what to do for it,
Whether it was Archie's kind tone OF
his resolute manner one or the other, Be
noni silently Yielded and few moment.